Implemented New user state: Account Disabled

[Sim]

We occasionally get asked by users to de-activate or disable their accounts either because they no longer want to use them (and don't want to receive any notifications or communication from the site), or don't want to receive any further emails from the site.

We never delete user accounts (other than spammers), and I want to differentiate between "banned" users and "disabled" users - disabled or deactivated user accounts can be (manually) re-enabled in the future if the user requests it, while banned accounts can't.

On our vBulletin forums, we simply have another user group for this, but in XenForo, we need it to be more explicitly a user state and for it to do things like disable emails being sent or alerts being set, prevent users posting on their profile, prevent people from starting conversations with them etc.

 

[Sim]

For now I am doing the following steps to disable a user account:

1. move the user to a new usergroup which has all permissions set to "Never"
2. disable email notifications on all threads for that user
3. add ".disabled" to their email address so I can still search on it in the future, but it won't receive any emails ... eg someone@example.com becomes someone@example.com.disabled
4. set their status to "Email invalid (bounced)" so the system doesn't even try to send them emails

It's not perfect, and it's a PITA, but it's the best we can do for now.

Actually, the step about adding .disabled to their email address is probably unnecessary and does open the door to the user registering a new account in the future, which we'd prefer they didn't (would prefer them to ask us to re-activate their account), but I really didn't want the system to be emailing them under any circumstances.

A simple switch which prevents the user from logging in or from any emails being sent to that user, would be far more effective. A new user state of "disabled" would be perfect.

 

[Harpers Tate]

Would be useful for deceased members, too, I think.

 

[Biker]

I like this.

We, too, have to do some fancy foot work for user requested account closures. We have a secondary usergroup for this, but it would be handy for the system to do the work for us.

 

[Glockie]

Agreed, we often get asked by members if we can put their accounts into a suspended state, so they can take a break etc but not remove any of their content and actual account.
So a definite +1 from here.

 

[Glockie]

For now I am doing the following steps to disable a user account:

1. move the user to a new usergroup which has all permissions set to "Never"
2. disable email notifications on all threads for that user
3. add ".disabled" to their email address so I can still search on it in the future, but it won't receive any emails ... eg someone@example.com becomes someone@example.com.disabled
4. set their status to "Email invalid (bounced)" so the system doesn't even try to send them emails

It's not perfect, and it's a PITA, but it's the best we can do for now.

Actually, the step about adding .disabled to their email address is probably unnecessary and does open the door to the user registering a new account in the future, which we'd prefer they didn't (would prefer them to ask us to re-activate their account), but I really didn't want the system to be emailing them under any circumstances.

A simple switch which prevents the user from logging in or from any emails being sent to that user, would be far more effective. A new user state of "disabled" would be perfect.

Similar to what I currently do, but couldn't think of a way around emails besides removing them. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Fred.]

This would be awesome to have! Now It's so much work! I get that question every few days.

 

[Dryline]

This is a must have in upcoming iterations of xF. When a member decides to take a break from a forum the last thing they want to see are more emails. Especially the deceased members as mentioned above. Our forum is about storm chasing, which is inherently dangerous. We have had a few of our members meet their demise in the field, or are here one day and gone the next type of thing. Out of respect for their loved ones it would be nice to have a kill switch for forum communications versus unticking several existing options in the user preferences for communications and hoping nothing is sent out. A new user state (or 2) to partially or wholly disable a member account would be nice to have.

It can still be done with the tools we have but just not as efficient as it could be with some enhancing.

 

[JackieChun]

Yes yes yes

 

[Joe Link]

YES

 

[Digital Doctor]

There seems to be a real lack of "states" or statuses in Xenforo.

What states are there ?
Unregistered
Banned




So if a user state is Valid ... is that identical in meaning to .... User Group = Registered ?


Why use the term Valid vs Registered ?

 

[Jeremy]

Valid does not mean the term registered. A user becomes valid once they have satisfied all requirements of registration including verifying their email or being approved by the administrator.

 

[Steffen]

In XenForo 2 there is a user state "Disabled". This seems to be what was suggested here. When logging in to a disabled user account I get the following message: "Your account has been disabled. If you would like to re-activate your account, please Contact us."

 

[Chris D]

Yes, Steffen is right, this was added in XF2.

We must have missed this suggestion when trying to mark the new stuff as implemented a while back.

 

[Will Franco]

For now I am doing the following steps to disable a user account:

1. move the user to a new usergroup which has all permissions set to "Never"
2. disable email notifications on all threads for that user
3. add ".disabled" to their email address so I can still search on it in the future, but it won't receive any emails ... eg someone@example.com becomes someone@example.com.disabled
4. set their status to "Email invalid (bounced)" so the system doesn't even try to send them emails

It's not perfect, and it's a PITA, but it's the best we can do for now.

Actually, the step about adding .disabled to their email address is probably unnecessary and does open the door to the user registering a new account in the future, which we'd prefer they didn't (would prefer them to ask us to re-activate their account), but I really didn't want the system to be emailing them under any circumstances.

A simple switch which prevents the user from logging in or from any emails being sent to that user, would be far more effective. A new user state of "disabled" would be perfect.

When the User State is Disabled, does the system stop sending them emails and such now. Because the outline above seems complex. Disabled is disabled. No?

 

[Chris D]

Emails are no longer sent to disabled users.